49ers cut 2 more players, increasing 2025 dead cap charge to more than $86 million

By Canadian Press on March 12, 2025.

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — The San Francisco 49ers cut defensive linemen Javon Hargrave and Maliek Collins at the start of the new league year on Wednesday in the latest moves to overhaul the roster.

The 49ers have cut four key contributors, traded star receiver Deebo Samuel to Washington and saw seven other free agents leave for other teams this week as the team resets the roster following a disappointing 6-11 season in 2024.

The Niners made a big push last season after losing the Super Bowl in overtime to Kansas City the previous year but fell far short because of a slew of injuries and players underperforming.

General manager John Lynch said last month that the Niners would look to become younger and cheaper in 2025 and the moves made already this month are a major part of that.

They do come with a cost as the Niners are currently projected to have more than $86 million — more than one-quarter of their adjusted salary cap — allotted to players no longer on the team through dead money charges. That money is based on bonuses already paid to players that haven’t hit the cap.

San Francisco delayed some of the pain from the moves with Hargrave and Collins by designating them as post-June 1 cuts, which will push $21.5 million of additional dead money to the 2026 cap.

Hargrave was cut two years after signing a four-year, $81 million deal with San Francisco. Hargarve played in only three games in 2024 before suffering a torn triceps muscle that required surgery. He immediately agreed with Minnesota on a two-year, $30 million contract with $19 million guaranteed, according to agent Drew Rosenhaus.

Collins was acquired in a trade from Houston last offseason and had five sacks but struggled in run defense in his only season with the Niners. He immediately agreed on a two-year, $20 million contract that includes $13 million fully guaranteed with Cleveland, Rosenhaus said.

San Francisco previously cut defensive end Leonard Floyd and fullback Kyle Juszczyk this week.

Several other key players agreed to deals in free agency Monday. Standout defenders Dre Greenlaw and Talanoa Hufanga reached deals with Denver; star cornerback Charvarius Ward agreed to a deal with Indianapolis; backup tackle Jaylon Moore and running back Elijah Mitchell agreed to deals with Kansas City; and backup quarterback Joshua Dobbs left for New England.

Those deals were all confirmed by people familiar with the agreements who spoke on condition of anonymity because they can’t be signed until Wednesday.

Starting left guard Aaron Banks also reportedly has agreed to a deal with Green Bay.

The Niners did make a few small moves, agreeing to a contract with former Seattle cornerback Tre Brown and re-signing linebacker Curtis Robinson to a one-year deal.

___

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

Josh Dubow, The Associated Press

19
-18